The key to an excellent Whiskey Sour is using fresh ingredients and getting the flavor balance just right. Our Classic Whiskey Sour recipe includes all the elements: bright, fresh lemon juice; warming, floral bourbon; and sweet simple syrup.

If you are looking for a refreshing cocktail that’s neither cloying nor biting, using freshly-squeezed juice is key. The mixes don’t even compare. If you want to play with the flavors, swap the fresh lemon juice for lime—or a mixture of both.

This drink is simple to prepare and pretty portable—just in case you are planning a tailgate any time soon!

Serve the Whiskey Sour on the rocks with an orange wheel and a Maraschino cherry arranged neatly on a drink spear or fancy toothpick.

Classic Whiskey Sour Recipe
Yields one cocktail

Ingredients
2 ounces bourbon
1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/4 ounce simple syrup
Ice

For garnish
1/2 orange wedge (optional)
Maraschino cherry (optional)

Directions
Combine the bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and cover it. Shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is very cold (about 20 seconds).

Strain the cocktail through a Hawthorne strainer or a slotted spoon into an old-fashioned or rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish the drink with an orange wedge and cherry.

How to make 1:1 Simple syrup
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Directions
Add equal parts sugar and hot boiled water to a jar with a tightly-fitting lid like a canning jar. Seal the jar and using a pot holder, shake until the sugar is dissolved.

Allow the simple syrup to cool before using it. The simple syrup can be stored for several weeks in the fridge.